What’s This Blog About?

Are you a runner who struggles to lose weight and also properly fuel for your run?

Do you experience stomach cramps or are you running to the bathroom during intense exercise?

Do you often exercise on an empty stomach and wonder why your workouts are so hard to get through?

Do you want to lose weight to be faster and leaner during your tennis match, race, triathlon, dance competition or any other athletic event?

Are you the parent of a young athlete who isn’t sure what to feed them before or after games?

I can help! I’m Natalie Rizzo, a NYC based Registered Dietitian and the founder of Nutrition à la Natalie. My goal is to simplify complicated nutrition information so that you can achieve all of your fitness and nutrition goals. I want to teach you how to use nutrition and fitness to reach your peak athletic potential, whether that’s losing enough weight to run a mile or participating in a triathlon.

Before I was a Registered Dietitian, I worked in Advertising and was your standard gym rat.I recognized the importance of exercising, but I never really paid much attention to sports nutrition. I would hit the gym after work (usually starving) and try to workout quickly before dinner. Then, I would get home and make the quickest dinner possible (usually a huge box of rice) and scarf down way too much food. Little did I know, I was sabotaging my own fitness routine because I didn’t have enough fuel to even get through my workouts, and I was eating more calories than I just burned off because I was so hungry!

When I decided to actually look into (and eventually study) sports nutrition, everything changed! I learned that food is fuel and that it is as much a factor in your athletic endeavors as your physical fitness. I learned that no athlete can “go the distance” without knowing how to fuel, refuel and properly hydrate.

During my time studying sports nutrition, I also became a runner. I learned that those who are serious about their sports sometimes see food as a hindrance. Food becomes something that gives you a stomach ache, causes cramps or makes you feel nauseous.But guess what, food is also your biggest ally in terms of fueling for performance and feeding your muscles to perform as they should.

I’m here to help you navigate this complicated landscape of “food as fuel”. Read my articles to understand when and what to eat, or visit my recipe page to grab some yummy and nutritious recipes. Nutrition and fitness are different for everyone. What works for you may not work for the person next to you. This blog is here to help you determine your nutrition needs so that you can reach your peak potential!